Daily US Opening News And Market Re-Cap: September 13

FT wrote that the Italian government is working on measures to facilitate the sale of the Italian government paper to China provided positive sentiment to the market early in the European session. However, there was market talk that China will not buy Italian bonds but instead seek various infrastructure investments

WSJ wrote, citing an unnamed BNP Paribas executive, that the bank could no longer borrow USDs from the money market. However, this was later rejected by the company, which said that financing is at its normal level

According to a French government source, Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy will make an announcement on Greece today, and are determined to do what is necessary on crisis. However, a Sarkozy spokesman rejected report on a Franco-German initiative, however Sarkozy may comment after meeting with Van Rompuy

Market Re-Cap

An article in the FT saying that the Italian government is working on measures to facilitate the sale of the Italian government paper to China provided positive sentiment to the market early in the European session.

However, the move was short lived on the back of market talk that China will not buy Italian bonds but instead seek various infrastructure investments, which resulted in a sell-off in equities. Equities came under further pressure after an article in the WSJ wrote, citing an unnamed BNP Paribas executive, that the bank could no longer borrow USDs from the money market, which also resulted in a sharp decline in Eurodollar futures. Weakness in equities provided support to Bunds, and the Eurozone 10-year government bond yield spreads with respect to Bunds generally widened. Particular widening was observed in the Italian/German spread leading up to and following a lacklustre 5-year Italian BTP auction, where the yield hit an all time high. Elsewhere, EUR/USD traded in negative territory during the European session, however did come off its earlier lows as the USD-Index weakened, together with comments from the Italian Prime Minister who said that the Italian Parliament will approve the budget proposals tomorrow. Also, AUD/USD remained under pressure following worse than expected business conditions/confidence data from Australia overnight. In other forex news, GBP/USD lost ground after BoE's Posen said that the central bank should resume its quantitative easing programme.

Moving into the North American open, markets look ahead to economic data from the US in the form of import price index, IBD/TIPP economic optimism, and the monthly budget statement. A number of key speakers are scheduled for later, including German Chancellor Merkel, and French President Sarkozy. In fixed income, USD 21bln 10-year Note auction is due later in the session, and the NY Fed will be releasing the next schedule for its Tentative Outright Treasury Operation.

Asian Headlines:

Japanese PM Noda said a strong JPY is threatening Japan with an unprecedented danger of the industry ‘hollowing out’ and says they need to do all possible in cooperation with BoJ to prevent the industry ‘hollowing out’. They are to compile new growth strategy by the year-end. Also, Japanese finance minister Azumi said the size of the third extra budget likely to exceed JPY 10tln. (RTRS)

US Headlines

Fed’s Bullard said no decision has yet been made on whether the Fed will offer monetary accommodation given further slowing in the economy, and if the Fed decides to ease policy further it should discard policy changes with fixed end dates. (RTRS)

In other news, President Obama sent his job bill to Congress and proposed paying for it by eliminating USD 467bln in tax breaks for richer Americans and companies, meeting immediate resistance from Republicans. (RTRS)

Elsewhere, Bill Gross increased exposure to Treasuries dramatically in August. Gross held 16% in US Treasuries and Treasury-related securities as of the end of August 31st, up from 10% as of the end of July. (RTRS)

An article in the FT saying that the Italian government is working on measures to facilitate the sale of the Italian government paper to China provided positive sentiment to the market early in the European session.

However, the move was short lived on the back of market talk that China will not buy Italian bonds but instead seek various infrastructure investments, which resulted in a sell-off in equities. Equities came under further pressure after an article in the WSJ wrote, citing an unnamed BNP Paribas executive, that the bank could no longer borrow USDs from the money market, however this news was later rejected by the company, which said that financing is at its normal level. A lacklustre 5-year BTP auction from Italy exerted further downward pressure on equities. As the session progressed, in a stark reversal of fortunes, equities pared back earlier losses to trade in positive territory, partly helped by comments from a French government source, who said that Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy will make an announcement on Greece today, and are determined to do what is necessary on crisis. Moving into the North American open, European indices are trading mixed, with financials and telecommunications as the best performing sectors.

FX

EUR/USD traded in negative territory during the European session, however did come off its earlier lows as the USD-Index weakened, together with comments from the Italian Prime Minister who said that the Italian Parliament will approve the budget proposals tomorrow. Also, AUD/USD remained under pressure following worse than expected business conditions/confidence data from Australia overnight. In other forex news, GBP/USD lost ground after BoE's Posen said that the central bank should resume its quantitative easing programme.

WTI and Brent crude futures traded in a mixed session during earlier trade, following moves in the USD-Index.

Oil & Gas News:

• SocGen lowered its oil price forecast for 2011 and 2012, citing significantly slow growth in global oil demand, predicting that temporary bullish factors such as supply disruptions in Nigeria and the UK are likely to fade in the near future.• A regional power struggle is emerging over Libya’s energy wealth as the cities of Tripoli and Benghazi compete to host the powerful state-owned National Oil Company. In related news Libyan oil firm Agoco says production from Sarir oilfield has restarted and reached 160,000 BPD.• North Korea and Russia are set to hold their first joint defence drill as early as this year in an attempt to balance the US, South Korea and Japan’s influence on the Korean peninsula.• IEA Monthly Oil Report: Uncertain global economic and financial prospects underpinned volatile oil future prices in August and early September. Global oil demand is revised down by 0.2 MBPD for 2011 and by 0.4 MBPD for 2012. World oil supply rose by 1.0 MBPD in August to 89.1 MBPD. August OPEC crude oil output was up by 165 KBPD to 30.26 MBPD. Global refinery crude runs have been revised down by close to 0.3 MBPD for both Q3 2011 and Q4 2011. Libyan oil output capacity average estimate raised average by 100,000 BPD to 300,000 BPD in Q4 2012. Sees Libyan oil output capacity at 350-400,000 BPD by end of 2011, rising to 1.1 MBPD in Q2 2012

Geopolitical News:

• Russia has rejected Western calls for wider sanctions on Syria over its violent crackdown on protests against President Bashar al-Assad, in which the UN sais 2600 people have been killed.• The chief of Libya's revolutionary movement has urged a cheering crowd in Tripoli to strive for a civil, democratic state, while loyalists of fugitive dictator Muammar Gaddafi killed at least 15 opposition fighters in an attack on a key oil town in Libya's east.